{"id":30935,"date":"2024-01-11T08:00:51","date_gmt":"2024-01-11T08:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/?p=30935"},"modified":"2024-01-10T14:59:31","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T14:59:31","slug":"from-my-hult-mba-to-mount-everest-parallels-in-two-incredible-journeys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/from-my-hult-mba-to-mount-everest-parallels-in-two-incredible-journeys\/","title":{"rendered":"From My Hult MBA to Mount Everest: Parallels in Two Incredible Journeys"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Before my MBA, I had a fulfilling marketing career at Nestl\u00e9. But I wanted to internationalize myself and my career. From early on, I felt that I needed to be able to call the whole world “home.” And that’s what took me to Hult in Boston. It meant I could do an American MBA while still experiencing areas of the world that were new to me through Global Campus Rotation. And my classmates were not going to be from a certain country, but from all over the world. I counted over 60 different nationalities in my batch when I finished. That changes you dramatically\u2014it\u2019s a very intense and rich experience. To this day, it\u2019s still one of the best years of my life.<\/p>\nAlumni event in London\u2014Teresa stays connected with her fellow Hultians years after graduating.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Life After Hult<\/h2>\n
After graduation, I joined Johnson & Johnson in London. A couple of demanding but rewarding roles came my way. But you know, in the Antarctic, when a penguin starts to feel the ice cracking beneath its feet? It knows then that it\u2019s time for the colony to move on. That\u2019s me when I start to feel too comfortable! The fulfillment is no longer there. So, I turned to my bucket list and embarked on a world trip across four continents. I volunteered for NGOs in Cambodia and Sri Lanka. It was a process of self-discovery that transformed my life.<\/p>\n
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After that, I was headhunted for Lego into a dream job in strategic marketing, based in the headquarters in Denmark. A special company, journey, mission, and team. But once I started to feel there was more to see, I knew it was time for another dream from my pocket. Being a firm believer that true leadership can change the world, I joined a leadership program at Stanford, and that\u2019s when the Everest base camp trek started niggling at me. It had been on my bucket list for five years.<\/p>\nTeresa describes receiving a golden brick on her first anniversary of joining Lego.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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I knew that going to Everest would be special, so I didn’t want to do it alone. I\u2019ve learned that meaningful experiences are best shared. We were four strangers in a group. Life brings the right people together at the right time. Similar to Hult\u2014it’s sharing the experience that makes it so memorable.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nTeresa battled temperatures of minus 20, alongside many other challenges that come with reaching high altitudes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The toughest aspect of the trek is managing your mind<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Everest is a great metaphor for life. It’s not just about trekking. Your body goes through a lot of challenges in the high mountains. Think of a blank page, a beautiful and new blank page. And then screw it up! That\u2019s what altitude sickness can do to the body. Oxygen levels are lower, so you can get breathing issues or very debilitating headaches. Basic living conditions, harsh weather, limited food, and cumulative tiredness all add to the fun!<\/p>\n
I couldn’t eat in the last three days and I didn\u2019t sleep on the last night before reaching base camp. It was minus 20 degrees during the night. Altitude can be brutal in many ways, so the body is constantly trying to find the resources to deal with all of that. Of course, as in everything in life, it’s not the situation that you need to deal with in the first place\u2014it’s your mind. If you just take that one next step, don\u2019t catastrophize, and trust what you\u2019re capable of, then anything is possible.<\/p>\nTeresa climbed with three others previously unknown to her. She says the best experiences in life are so much more meaningful when shared.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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There are many parallels between what leads a person to an MBA and trekking Everest. Here are my two cents on the mentality that might just get you to Hult or Everest Base Camp …<\/h4>\n
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1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Be hungry for life<\/h3>\n
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You know the saying \u201cA life well lived is an act of imagination\u201d? It’s that curiosity that\u2019s always driven me and comes to life through constant change, new experiences, and global exposure. The question I get the most is \u201cWhere in the world are you now?\u201d It\u2019s a lot more fulfilling to chase the unfamiliar. The tried and safe path doesn\u2019t pay off to the same degree.<\/p>\n
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We can easily become set in our ways, even if those ways aren’t serving us well. Don\u2019t settle.<\/p>\n
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2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Constantly redefine your normal<\/h3>\n
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Normality is restrictive. I like the idea of stretching life\u2019s limits. Whenever I take up a new challenge, I\u2019m mostly interested in the discovery process it offers me. I’ve always been active, but what took me to the Everest was not the fact that I’m sporty. It’s because I’m immensely curious to see beyond what I\u2019ve already seen. And that\u2019s also what took me to an MBA.<\/p>\n
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An MBA was a monumental step for many of us in my batch. We left our jobs, families, or relationships for expecting more from life. As a leader, you\u2019re the one that brings the vision and raises the standards for the rest of the team.<\/p>\n
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Each time you take a step in the direction of what isn\u2019t yet normal for you, you’re redefining your new normal. Life expands as a result.<\/p>\n
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3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Take risks and accept the price<\/h3>\n
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First, think: What is the life I want to live?<\/p>\n
Second: Am I willing to pay the price?<\/p>\n
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For any prize, there’s a price. Nothing in life is single-sided.<\/p>\n
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I never really wanted to pay the price of staying still. I\u2019ve learned to accept what comes with the hard choices and the bigger leaps.<\/p>\n
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I remember that Nestl\u00e9, in the best possible way, made it hard for me to leave them and join Hult. I counted four different retention offers. But I think it\u2019s when you leave the certain behind and embrace the uncertain that life really happens.<\/p>\n
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Clarity and willpower along the way will come easier when you\u2019ve accepted the price to pay.<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s becoming a leader, doing an MBA, or trekking Everest\u2014you know why you’re there, but you\u2019re not yet seeing the end of the line. Neither are you able to anticipate the whole process. And for the most part, the path is challenging and can make you question it. Keep the conviction up and trust that the dots will connect down the line.<\/p>\n
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You\u2019ve got to walk the path to unfold it.<\/p>\n
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5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Know yourself. Nothing will ever be a better investment!<\/h3>\n
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